LETTEE X. 



St. Paul's.— Eoxite to Red Eiver.— Minnesota.— Daily Newspapers.— Market 

 Place.— Red Indians selling wild Ducks.— American Militia.— Fort Snelling.— 

 Mlmiehalia.— Falls of St. Antliony. — Lands and Funds set apart for Public 

 Objects.— Tlie Credit System.— Down the River to Dubuque.— Burlington.— - 

 Iowa,— jSTatural Obstacle to Progress of Population Westwards.— "Wages.— 

 ITauvoo.— St, Louis in Missouri,— Slave State. — Iron Mountain.— Relative 

 Cost of Production of British and American Iron. 



St. Paul's, the capital of Minnesota, tlie last State admitted to 

 the Union, stands very beautifully on a sloping limestone ridge 

 of tlie Mississippi, upwards of 2000 miles from its moutli at 

 New Orleans. It may be regarded as tlie bead of uninterrupted 

 navigation, for tbe Falls of St. Antbony, only nine miles fur- 

 ther up, close tbe passage. Above tbe Falls, however, steam- 

 ers ply 150 miles still further northwest. From this highest 

 point it is proposed to make a land connection with the Eed 

 Eiver, which flows north, and is navigable for 300 miles before 

 it enters the British territory at Pembina. 



The new State of Minnesota has an area considerably 

 greater than the British Isles. The southern part is chiefly 

 prairie, very level for great distances west, as was shown to me 

 in a section of the railway now being constructed. The soil is 

 considerably more sandy than that of Illinois ; the winters are 

 intensely cold, but the summers, though comparatively short, 

 generally mature the various corn crops which are cultivated. 

 This State has its northern boundary along the British terri- 

 tory, at present possessed by the Hudson's Bay Company. The 



